Pinewoods Montessori School Welcomes New Board Members
Supporting Growth and Community Impact
We are thrilled to announce the addition of three accomplished professionals, Dr. Valerie Ehrlich and Haley Walker, and Kevin Darby to the Pinewoods School Board of Directors. This expansion reflects our ongoing commitment to enhancing the school’s offerings and its growing impact on the community.
As Pinewoods continues to grow, the expertise that Valerie, Haley, and Kevin bring will be instrumental in supporting our leadership development, guiding strategic decisions, and advancing our mission. Their collective experience in education, social impact, and organizational growth will help steer the school to new heights, ensuring that we can continue to offer exceptional educational experiences for our students and families.
Meet Our New Board Members:
Dr. Valerie Ehrlich:
Dr. Valerie Ehrlich is an experienced consultant, coach, and organizational learning strategist with a Ph.D. in Social Psychology and extensive expertise in building learning cultures that drive meaningful impact. For more than seven years, she served as Director of the Societal Impact Insights Team at the Center for Creative Leadership, where she led strategic evaluation and research initiatives across education, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. Her work has directly influenced how organizations approach leadership development and systemic change.
In 2023, Valerie founded Mission Bloom, a consultancy that partners with mission-driven social impact organizations to transform their approach to learning and leadership development. Her unique blend of academic rigor and practical expertise helps organizations navigate complex challenges while building cultures of continuous improvement. Valerie is also a thought leader in the intersection of emergent learning, AI, organizational development, and inclusive leadership. She has received several accolades for her leadership in professional organizations, including recognition from NCCJ for strategic contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Valerie lives in Hillsborough with her family and is deeply committed to supporting educational excellence in our community.
Haley Walker:
Haley Walker is a seasoned and award-winning communications and fundraising professional with a master’s degree in Journalism from Michigan State University and a professional certificate in Social Impact Storytelling from Georgetown University. Haley has served in both execution and strategy roles while working for a variety of nonprofits, becoming well-versed in crafting compelling digital and print storytelling and the tactics for ensuring they reach the right audiences.
For more than a decade, Haley held in-house positions with major local and international organizations, including as the Senior Director of Advancement for The Freshwater Trust, a regional conservation organization based in Oregon. There, she led a large team of communications and fundraising professionals, oversaw numerous fundraising initiatives, the production of all external communications collateral, and large-scale fundraising events. In 2020, Haley founded her own firm, Sawdust Storytelling, which has since assisted more than a dozen mission-driven clients across the country with messaging and branding strategy, design, grant writing, art direction, report development, social media, and more. Her campaigns have received Platinum and first-place awards in international creative competitions, and she has played a role in raising millions of dollars to support environmental and social causes. Haley is also the owner of Timberwood Tiny Home, a five-star farm retreat, and co-owner of Working Theory Farm, a property that is being revitalized after years of “not working.” She lives with her husband Belton and two daughters, Isla and Sadie, in Efland. Isla, now 3.5, has attended Pinewoods since she was 18 months old.
Kevin Darby:
Kevin brings a wealth of expertise in technology and finance to the Pinewoods Board. As Vice President of Execution Technology at CQG, Inc., Kevin specializes in quantitative finance, machine learning, and coding trading algorithms. A career entrepreneur, his diverse professional background includes owning a software company, working as a quant for an options trading firm, and managing several small businesses.
Originally from Chicago, Kevin moved to Chapel Hill in 2000 and has been an active member of the community ever since. With two children attending Pinewoods, he is deeply committed to the school’s success. Kevin leverages his financial modeling experience to support the board’s finance committee and contributes to strategic initiatives like the school’s building expansion.
Outside of work, Kevin enjoys math, motorcycles, music, and spending quality time with his wife Jenna and their children.
We are proud to have Dr. Valerie Ehrlich, Haley Walker, and Kevin Darby join the Pinewoods School Board and look forward to their valuable contributions as we continue to expand and elevate the school’s mission. Their dedication to education and social impact will undoubtedly help us make a lasting difference in the lives of our students and the broader community.
